From Tuna to High Falutin Turd Rollers (10/26)

[Latimeria]

Squatch and I went out looking for tuna offshore.  Water was pretty green and filled with siphonophores, jellyfish, Salps, Pyrosomes, Comb Jellies and other unidentifiable stuff.

Chovie was everywhere also!  No matter where we were at, there they were!



We had a spot of football yellowfin pop up next to us and we got a few casts on them, but couldn't get them to turn on.

We trolled for miles and fished about 6-9 paddies while we were exploring further offshore.  Then, the tuna started foaming!  Another boat saw and gunned to them the same time and it was very respectable with both of us working the fish.  Steve pretty much knocked the tuna on the head, but neither of us could get them to bite.  Our baits would swim right through them untouched.  The other boat was landing live bait right on top of them and couldn't get bit either!

Ugh

Then the wind started to shift to the south, so we started trolling back to the 9-mile.  Earlier in the morning, Steve was telling me about the central american diesel submarine that was chugging up and down the coast. So with that, the story was fresh in my head.  As I was looking over the gunnel while we were trolling, I saw a hug dark object surfacing fast!  WTF!?!?!  I totally thought it was a sub, but only a foot next to the boat, a big Minke (or finback) whale surfaces and releases it's breath!  SO LOUD!  The boat even rocked with the wake of it surfacing right next to us.  I could have picked its nose it was so close!

After that adrenaline rush, we continued on our way and met up with some other boats we were working with.  The motor had a little issue, so we decided to run in and fish the PL kelp.  Good thing we left when we did, as the wind started howling from the SE and blew up some mean white caps!

We fished only a short time, but got a limit of assorted rockfish and a handful of bass with some quality ones in the mix.



Oh well.  No tuna for me this season as every time I've been blanked and couldn't get them to go.  A nightmare "Should have been here yesterday" scenario.

Still a fun trip and A LOT of fuel was burned.  Time to get that tank filled again!

Thanks for reading!

[sasquatch]

 Couldn't have picked a better day to make the long run. Or a better time to head for the barn.

I had my back to the whale and just got the loud exhale, turned and saw it 10 feet away. Nuts.

[vdisney]

Although a submarine would have been much more exciting, the whale 10' away is pretty cool.  Bummer about the tuna...............